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Birdwatchers flock to Ipswich after waxwings sighting

Paul Richardson WaxwingPaul Richardson
Waxwings like to berries, such as those on the rowan trees in Blanche Street, Ipswich, the British Trust for Ornithology said

People in Ipswich have been "very lucky" to spot birds that has been drawn to the town from Scandinavia to feast on berries, a charity said.

A group of waxwings has been spotted in Blanche Street in the town centre.

Birdwatchers have been flocking over the past week from places including Chelmsford and Romford, east London to catch a glimpse of the colourful bird.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said waxwings were "rare, but regular winter visitors to the UK".

A spokesman for the Norfolk-based charity said a few make it to Britain most winters from forests in the far north of Europe, but "sometimes a lack of food in their usual wintering grounds can push thousands as far as the UK".

He said waxwings particularly liked red berries, and as rowan and hawthorn trees were often planted in urban areas, it was not "too surprising" to see them in Suffolk's county town.

However, he added: "There aren't many around this year though, especially this far south, so the people of Ipswich are very lucky."

Stuart Howells/BBC Paul RichardsonStuart Howells/BBC
Paul Richardson said he travelled from Chelmsford to see the "beautiful" birds

Paul Richardson, who travelled from Chelmsford to catch sight of the birds between the middle of two blocks of flats, said they were "fantastic" to watch.

"Occasionally we get them in East Anglia so they're always a bird worth watching," he said.

"They've got beautiful colours, they're really beautiful birds."

Stuart Howells/BBC Stephen ElwellStuart Howells/BBC
Stephen Elwell, from Romford, said it was "amazing" to see the birds in a suburban setting

Stephen Elwell, who travelled from Romford, said: "It's a stunning looking bird and quite rare at the moment.

"Seeing such an iconic bird in a suburban setting is amazing."

Judith and Barry Livermore, from Colchester, said it was "really spectacular" seeing the waxwings and "worth the trip".

The BTO said there was a poor crop of berries in Scandinavia last autumn and many people thought the UK might be in for a "real 'waxwing winter' but this doesn't really seem to have materialised".

It said the last real influx was in 2012-13, but there were good numbers in 2015-16 too.

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